Importance Of Ambition In Macbeth

Ambition is often the driving force in one’s life. It is supposed to be the motivating factor that drives one towards success. Society also deems ambition a necessary quality of their leader. It can be said that Macbeth exhibits this quality of ambition. He is the strong, valiant warrior who has won in battle and brought victory to Scotland. However, Macbeth’s quest to acquire more power-his ambition-ultimately leads to his tragic demise. How can one allow himself to be destroyed by such a thing? Before Duncan’s murder, Macbeth questions and second guesses his ambitious tendencies and actions. Despite his anxiety, he succumbs to these tendencies and finds himself in an increasingly precarious situation, with his back against the wall and growing ever closer to his almost inevitable end.

The play Macbeth written by William Shakespeare is based upon old Scotland and this is used as the general time frame. During this time, Monarchy still existed and Scotland is in war with Whales. There are many emotions that arise throughout the play, but the most important of all is ambition. “Ambition is the desire for personal achievement. Ambitious persons seek to be the best at what they choose to do for attainment, power, or superiority” (“Ambition”). The motif of ambition in the play is that being ambitious leaves one blind to certain areas and can drive one insane to reach the intended goal. Numerous characters that showed this trait throughout the play were Banquo, Macduff, Lady Macbeth, and Macbeth.

We have all made mistakes in our lives, things we cannot reverse. I personally have never made such a bad mistake its life-changing but we see this happen in MacBeth, a play written by William Shakespeare. It has many themes and insinuates several different messages.

Initially, Macbeth’s emotional and physical journey begins with the prophecy that the three witches had told Macbeth about. Once the witches tell Macbeth that he will become the future king, his ambition become prominent as it is shown in the same scene as the witches when Macbeth says “Why do I find myself thinking about murdering king Duncan?” (21). So, right after the witches tell Macbeth that he will become king he already has this ambitious feeling of needing that power and doing whatever it takes to get it. However, at this point in the book Macbeth still is fighting the urge of wanting that power. To continue, in the next scene Macbeth finds himself becoming more consumed by the thought of becoming king that while with

The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare recounts Macbeth's meteoric rise as a soldier and promising future leader whose megalomaniacal ambition led to his tragic downfall. In addition to Macbeth's ambitions, which initially enable him to be strong leader and soldier, he is influenced heavily by his wife, Lady Macbeth, and the three witches that prophesize his ascent to the throne, as well as warn him of his eventual demise. It can be argued that it is Macbeth's ambition that allows him to succeed in his endeavors, however the goals to which he is working toward influence the results of his hard work. Macbeth's ambitions help him to become a war hero, and as his goals change, his ambitions drive him to become a tyrannical villain.

Many people believe that being ambitious is always a good thing. However, it is not. Ambition is not an overall bad thing, but it's not 100% virtuous either. Before I could begin my essay, I had to sit and actually evaluate the word itself. Many people have ambitions in life.

In addition, Aristotle believes themes and type of diction classifies whether or not a play is a tragedy. He states they should includes various themes, speeches that reveal themes and character, and metaphors. (McManus) Macbeth has various themes, such as, excessive ambition leads to one’s downfall, for which they aspire to reach unreachable heights, deception leads to bigger lies and to one’s downfall, and “fair is foul, and foul is fair,” (I, i, 12) meaning there is good and bad in everything. Macbeth perfectly demonstrates how excessive ambition can lead to one’s downfall as it leads to his death.

“Big results require big ambition” Herclitus once said. In Macbeth, the play written by the inimitable WIlliam Shakespeare, ambition is a key aspect and component of the main character, and we are introduced to the idea of what drives people to do the unquestionable as a result of ambition. In Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth’s strive for power and unequivocal ambition take responsibility for the profound tragedies that occur. This is shown through Lady Macbeth’s desire for the accumulation of wealth and power, the social normalities and gender roles during this period of time, and ultimately Macbeth’s ambition and pure desire for power.

Ambition is an important quality which all people possess to some extent. It is vital to have this quality to gain the will to improve and be successful in everything that must be done through daily life. Although this characteristic has its significance, the consequences of an exceeding amount of it are criticized in William Shakespeare's Macbeth. The play follows a loyal soldier named Macbeth who receives a prophecy that tells him he will be king. With a spark of ambition, he tells his wife, Lady Macbeth, and her drive is ignited. Lady Macbeth’s strong ambition is the cause of Macbeth’s ultimate demise because her ambition contributes to his growing unruly behavior.

What is ambition? According to Google, ambition is “the strong desire and determination to achieve success.” Ambition is a driving feeling in everyone's life necessary to get work done, so how can it be harmful? In Shakespeare's tragedy, Macbeth, our main character’s ambition proves to be his downfall through his struggle between morals and ambition, his guilt after killing Duncan, and his ability to kill people without hesitation despite his guilt at the beginning of the play.

Macbeth is a successful and a highly respected member of a social group, loaded with honors and enjoying every prospect of his life in praise. His family is by his side no matter what obstacles he may face, including any peer pressure from his wife. Many people praise Macbeth for his heroic actions in defending his precious kingdom he plans to run. Throughout the play many people like King Duncan think of Macbeth with high regard and treats him generously, but this will all be subjected to change.

Many Shakespearian dramas, like Macbeth, are inspired by the ancient Greek notion of tragedy and the fall of man; much of which is powered by one’s lust for greater gains. Correspondingly, the play reveals how ambition creates the capability of deteriorating a man’s morality and world. This is presented through the titular character and his “dearest partner of greatness” (P. 23) and the consequences of their actions.

Ambition, the driving force that people use to accomplish remarkable acts, however it is also a corrupter for those who do not how to wield its overwhelming power. Though when one thinks of ambition, the first idea that comes to mind, tends to lean towards the harmless and beneficial outcome, the reality is that ambition corrupt and more harmful than it seems. Shakespeare’s character Macbeth best shows the truth of this statement in his famous tragic play called “Macbeth.” The tale is of a tragic man with a tragic life, starting out as a hero then plummeting down to nothing but a lowlife and a tyrant. His descent to madness has played a substantial part in literary works after its debut, and continues to be an important message to this day

Shakespeare masterfully exposes the weaknesses of human beings as the foundation for this tragic play. In Macbeth, it shows the extent to which people will go in order to realize their own ambitions, even to murder. In Macbeth, evil is the opposite of humanity, the deviation from that which is natural for human kind, yet originates in the human heart.

Ambition is the thirst to seek to achieve something or to gain power and rank. In Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, “Macbeth” there is a thane by the name of Macbeth that learns of a prophecy from a group of witches that tell him he will go onto become the next king of Scotland. The story expresses his journey to becoming the king and his downfall that follows. This downfall is a result of his tragic flaw which is his great ambition that led him to murdering his king and friend who afterwards haunt him and he is forced to live in anxiety and fear of getting caught for his crimes.